A seven-piece group will be playing it “kool” when they bring their slick jazz-rock sounds to the George Link Jr. Gilmer Arts Playhouse.
The Kool Breeze Band featuring Jim Richter will perform at the 135 Dalton Street venue Friday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.
Led by guitarist and keyboardist Richter, of Cherry Log, the group plays a blend of instrumental jazz and rock music, which Richter said is somewhat akin to the style of Steely Dan.
“It’s not your traditional classic jazz, and there are some smooth jazz elements. I like to think of it as the place where jazz and rock kind of meet,” said Richter. “To me, the chords are more challenging and interesting than the traditional 1-4-5 blues progression, but you retain enough of the energy and rock feel that people like.”
Richter’s been a working musician since he was a young student in Rochester, N.Y. He played guitar in a band that backed up delta bluesman Son House for a stint and, in the early ‘70s, was in a New England rock group called Cradle.
Law school and a career as an attorney followed. Richter, an Emory Law School graduate, worked for many years as a prosecutor in Cobb and DeKalb County and later in private practice.
Richter has long performed with various cover bands playing weddings, events and corporate functions, but he eventually decided to step back from the legal field and focus on making music.
About 10 years ago, Richter started “getting back into shape” as a full-time musician. The original songs that followed range from the humorous doo-wop of “Tater Chip Man” to “Cosmic Dust,” an instrumental mini-rock opera.
“It’s one thing to be playing when you’re just doing it part time, but a completely different thing when it’s full time and you’re practicing every day,” Richter said. “I got back into shape and started back writing original music. That’s always been the thing that gets me going.”
He eventually began adding more instrumental jazz elements and less singing to his work, which is where the Kool Breeze Band comes in. The group features John Rathbone (bass), Bill Craig (drums), Michael Cornett (guitar, keyboards), Nolan Walker (trumpet), Chris Otts (saxophone) and Markham White (guitar).
“Jim is exceptional at creating hooky, crafty melodies and harmonies to go with them. He’s really good at that, and it works,” said Rathbone. “It’s original music, and, because it’s in the jazz vein, there are opportunities for solo improvisation. From that standpoint, it’s traditional in the jazz way of doing things. Our stuff is categorized as smooth jazz, although some of it is bluesy, some of it is kind of R&B or jazzy fusion that’s kind of out there or straight ahead jazz-rock. It’s a nice variety.”
The band is comprised mostly of local musicians, Rathbone noted. Walker, a Gilmer High School graduate, is a music teacher who assists with local school bands, while Rathbone, Cornett and Craig have performed with an array of different local and area groups over the years.
“It’s a good group with good players. Everybody enjoys playing with good players who can do their thing and make the ensemble sound solid and come across well,” said Rathbone. “(Several) of us have been around a long time, and we’re all really excited to be involved with this project.”
Tracks from Richter’s 2018 album, “Breezy Day,” made good showings on the national smooth jazz charts, and the title track of his latest album, “Mr. Kool,” has been streamed on Spotify 1.8 million times since being added to the music streaming platform.
“It really took off on Spotify,” said Rathbone.
After “Mr. Kool” was released in early 2020, Richter and band were ready to get out and showcase their latest work for live audiences. However, that was not to be.
COVID and the ensuing pandemic derailed that train, which, just recently, has gotten back on track.
“We put the album out and were all rehearsed and ready, then there was not much happening at all for the next two years,” Richter said. “More recently, though, things have started to open up a bit.”
The group had a great time performing at the recent Blue Ridge Mountains Wine and Jazz Festival, and Richter said he’s excited about returning to the playhouse with the Kool Breeze Band. He last performed at the venue in 2019 playing guitar for Dave Bickler, former lead singer of the rock group Survivor.
“I’ve been wanting to come back and play there,” Richter said.
About what to expect from the upcoming concert, he said, “We’ll be keeping it mostly uptempo. There will be some dance-friendly music and some quieter music. We do have some slower stuff, but we want to have a good, upbeat tempo to the whole show.”